Adhesive applicator



y 1968 c. BLICKENDERFER, JR" ET AL 3,392,699

ADHESIVE APPLI CATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 13, 1966 M EM 4 mm wmus WF C Y N C E M 1 .C n

c. BLICKENDERFER, JR. ET AL 3,392,699

July 16, 1968 ADHES I VE APPLI CATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 13,1966 "I'll RLES C CLAPP ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,392,699ADHESIVE APPLICATOR Charles Blickenderfer, Jr., Puyallup, Harold E.Erickson,

Federal Way, and Charles C. Clapp, Tacoma, Wash.,

assignors to Weyerhaeuser Company, Tacoma, Wash,

a corporation of Washington Filed Sept. 13, 1966, Ser. No. 579,149 2Claims. (Cl. 118--7) This invention relates to an adhesive applicatorapparatus, and specifically relates to an apparatus for keeping theadhesive on the applicator roll moist.

In many processes, adhesive is placed on the object as it is conveyedpast an adhesive applicator apparatus. Usually, the adhesive applicatorapparatus stops if the conveyor stops so that adhesive will not beplaced on the conveyor. However, the adhesive will dry on the applicatorroll it it is not kept moist by a constant movement or by a constantreplenishment of the adhesive on the applicator roll.

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus in which theadhesive on the applicator roll will remain moist during periods ofconveyor shutdown.

This and other objects of this invention will become readily apparent byreading the following specification in conjunction with the attacheddrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the applicator apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is a front plan view of the apparatus with portions cut away toshow details of construction;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view with portions cut away, showing theauxiliary drive side of the apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view with portions cut away, showing themain drive side of the apparatus.

The present apparatus is described in terms of an adhesive applicatorfor wood veneer although other materials may be applied by the apparatusand other materials may be coated by the apparatus.

The adhesive applicator apparatus is suspended over the conveyor 11 by aframe 12 which is mounted on the conveyor frame 13. The adhesiveapparatus has a pair of supply rolls 15 and 16 which constantly movethrough the trough of glue 17 formed in the nip of the rolls, and anapplicator roll 18 which receives adhesive from the supply roll 16 andtransfers the adhesive to the veneer passing beneath it. A back-up roll19 beneath the conveyor and the roll 18 holds the veneer against theroll 18. In normal operation the three rolls are rotated by the conveyormotor (not shown) acting through the conveyor drive shaft 20 and thedrive train 21. This train includes and overriding clutch. The speed ofthe applicator apparatus is therefore synchronized to the speed of theconveyor because it is driven by the conveyor. If the conveyor stops,the apparatus stops. However, the nature of the material being appliedrequires that the applicator apparatus not be stopped for a long periodof time because the material will drop on the rolls and it will benecessary to clean the rolls before using them. This can be avoided ifthe material is kept in constant agitation during a conveyor shutdown.

The present apparatus provides a means for keeping the material inagitation during a conveyor shutdown. A timer is placed in the circuitwhich starts and stops the conveyor. The timer starts when the conveyorstops. If the conveyor has not been restarted in a predetermined periodof time, the timer will actuate an auxiliary circuit which controls theair cylinders 22 on each side of the frame 12. Each of the air cylinders22 is connected to the shaft 23 of the applicator roll 18 by a crank arm24 and a beam 25. The shaft 23 is adjustably mounted in the beams 25.The crank arms 24 and beams 25 are fixedly mounted to each other andpivot about the shaft 26 of the supply roll 16. This maintains aconstant distance between the applicator roll 18 and the supply roll 16.

Actuation of the air cylinder 22 pivots the crank arm 24 and beam 25toward the air cylinder, raising the applicator roll 18 from theconveyor. This is best shown in FIGURE 4. As is also shown in FIGURE 4,the rotation of the crank arm 24 toward the air cylinder 22 releases thelimit switch 27. The switch starts and stops the auxiliary motor 28which also acts through the drive train 29 to rotate the rolls 15, 16,and 18. During the time that the conveyor is shut down, the motor 28turns the three rolls keeping the adhesive moist and preventing it fromsetting on the rolls. The movement of the rolls is not transferred tothe conveyor drive shaft 20 because of the overriding clutch in thedrive train 20.

The conveyor is restarted by pushing the start button (not shown). Thisactuates both a second timer (not shown) and the air cylinders 22. Thesecond timer is between the start button and the conveyor drive motor.This timer allows the applicator roll 18 to be placed on the veneer onthe conveyor before conveyor drive motor is started.

The applicator roll 18 is placed on the veneer by the actuation of aircylinders 22 which pivot the crank arms 24 and beams 25 away from theair cylinders. During this travel the crank arm 24 contacts the limitswitch 27, stopping the auxiliary motor 28 and the auxiliary drive 29 sothat the applicator roll 18 is stopped by the time that it contacts theveneer on the conveyor. The timer then starts the conveyor drive motorwhich starts both the conveyor and the applicator mechanism at asynchronized speed.

While a specific example of a preferred apparatus has been described, itwill be apparent that many changes and modifications may be made in theapparatus without departing from the spirit of the invention. It shouldbe understood that the apparatus described above is exemplary only andnot intended to limit the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Applicator apparatus comprising a conveyor,

means for moving said conveyor,

means for stopping and starting said conveyor moving means,

a roll adjacent said conveyor for applying material to articles on saidconveyor, said roll being in spaced relationship with said conveyer andbeing positionable in a first position to apply said material to saidarticles or a second position spaced from said articles.

means responsive to said conveyor stop and start means for moving saidapplicator means from said first position to said second position whensaid conveyor is stopped,

first means for rotating said roll at a peripheral speed which issubstantially equal to the lineal speed of said conveyor,

second means for rotating said rolls when said con veyor is stopped,

means to the position of said applicator for starting said secondrotational means when said roll is not in said first position.

3 4 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said conveyor 2,827,010 3/1958Schaefer 118241 movement means also rotates said r011. 2,894,481 7/1959Stuchbery 1188 XR 2,901,999 9/1959 Mengis 118-8 XR efe C te 3,048,1458/1962 Stover 118-241 XR UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 313265179 6/1967 'P118241 2 075 20 3 1937 Mackenzie CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

2,824,541 2/ 1958 Paulsen 118--7 ROBERT I. SMITH, Examiner.

P UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent3.392.699 Dated Julv 16 1968 Inventor(s) Charles Blickenderfer, Jr., eta1 It is certified that error appears in the ahove-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

I" "T In column 2, line 66 -responsive-- has been omitted after the word"means". The line should read: means --responsiveto the position of saidapplicator for starting sit-2mm ANJ E J mm B. BGHUYIIER JR. 1M.Gonmissioner of Patents meet 0mm

1. APPLICATOR APPARATUS COMPRISING A CONVEYOR, MEANS FOR MOVING SAIDCONVEYOR, MEANS FOR STOPPING AND STARTING SAID CONVEYOR MOVING MEANS, AROLL ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR FOR APPLYING MATERIAL TO ARTICLES ON SAIDCONVEYOR, SAID ROLL BEING IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID CONVEYER ANDBEING POSITIONABLE IN A FIRST POSITION TO APPLY SAID MATERIAL TO SAIDARTICLES OR A SECOND POSITION SPACED FROM SAID ARTICLES. MEANSRESPONSIVE TO SAID CONVEYOR STOP AND START MEANS FOR MOVING SAIDAPPLICATOR MEANS FROM SAID FIRST POSITION TO SAID POSITION WHEN SAIDCONVEYOR IS STOPPED,